A reinterpretation of institutional transformations in European higher education: strategising pluralistic organisations in multiplex environments

Abstract

The paper draws on institutional theory with special attention to recent contributions that aim at developing its micro-foundations. We address the question of how individual higher education institutions deal with institutional pluralism. We develop an analytical framework inspired by institutional theory, the sensemaking perspective in organisation theory and strategy-as-practice to connect the macro-transformation processes of the organisational field and the micro-processes of organisational strategising

Branding of Flemish higher education institutions: a strategic balance perspective

“…HEIs that are embedded in institutionalised environments face institutional pressures from different stakeholders (e.g., the state, the academic community, students and their parents, etc.) to carry out scientific research, to offer academic education, to contribute to social justice, to support the national economy and to generally ensure the quality of services (e.g., Frølich, Huisman, Slipersaeter, Stensaker, & Botas, 2013). Even more, when HEIs are public institutions, it could be argued that institutional pressures are more powerful than competitive pressures (cf.…”

Stakeholder organizations in the European higher education area: exploring transnational policy dynamic

“…The 'borders' of an organizational field are to be determined empirically, focusing on the top-down dynamic that stresses rules and regulations as indicative of organizational field boundaries, as well as on the bottom-up dynamic that focuses on organizations themselves and initiatives they take to distinguish themselves as 'a recognized area of institutional life' (Frølich, Huisman, Slipersaeter, Stensaker, & Bótas, 2013). Organizational fields emerge through a process of structuration characterized by increasing interaction between organizations, increasing prominence of inter-organizational coalitions and power relationships, increasing information load and increasing 'mutual awareness among participants in a set of organizations that they are involved in a common enterprise' (DiMaggio & Powell, 1983, p. 148).…”

Changing missions? How the strategic plans of research-intensive universities in Northern Europe and North America balance competing identities

“…Greater emphasis on private rather than public goods and benefits can be found in the texts and images that public universities use to communicate about themselves (Morphew and Hartley 2006;Saichaie and Morphew 2014). In Europe, governance reforms have also occurred and existing research analyzing how universities have chosen to exercise their independence indicates that it is possible to identify a more ´managerial´ university emerging through stronger internal hierarchical governance and more time and energy devoted to handling external accountability claims and strengthen their external profile (File et al 2006;Fumasoli and Lepori 2011;Frølich et al 2013, Stensaker andBenner 2013;Stensaker et al 2014;Fumasoli et al 2015).…”